50 Wine Restaurants We Love 2021

Restaurants with three Michelin stars aren’t usually the most nimble, but SingleThread found wine as an inspiration to keep serving customers. It opened a virtual wine shop with existing inventory that was soon augmented with new purchases. More than 20 nearby wineries also donated bottles for themed wine packs, proceeds of which went to addressing food insecurity in partnership with Sonoma Family Meal.

The restaurant shifted to tented outdoor dining, winery residencies and a casual wine bar, and it recently acquired a 24-acre farm that will have a retail store and, eventually, guest accommodations.

Still, the ongoing inequities of the industry aren’t lost on them.

“Many people that were left hung out to dry over this last year left the restaurant industry and will likely never look back,” says Wine Director Rusty Rastelo. “Our only hope for potentially getting them back is to offer them proper pay, benefits and respect…”